letters to my little girl

You've started nursery...

2012-08-09T15:40:00.001+01:00

.... And Mummy is wracked with guilt. Your only doing one afternoon and one morning per week, and in actual fact, I take you late and pick you up early so it doesn't even officially equate to 1 full day, but still I feel so ridiculously guilty. Everyone keeps informing me of how good it'll be for you, interacting with other children and learning new things... But I just can't shift the question of if I'm a bad mother, that I'm choosing to put you in nursery rather than it being a necessity of work? I've not done it selfishly, I can assure you, in fact I spend the hours that your there missing you incredibly and wondering what to do with myself. So much so, that yesterday (your first official morning) I blitzed the house so thoroughly that today I fear if I clean another inch I may risk rubbing away kitchen surfaces or the enamel on the bath. I call a million times to check your okay, and am always assured that you are, when I collect you you always seem relaxed and I'm told of how you played with this and that, how you ate all your lunch and loved playing outside... Surely they don't make all this up??
Yesterday afternoon, after collecting you, we played in the garden, baked cakes, did some painting, walked into the village and had a bubble bath, subconsciously i think i was trying to show you how much i do love you and in some strange way seeking your forgiveness for 4 hours, which in actual fact, you more than likely, thoroughly enjoyed.
Is this an affliction of all mothers, I wonder? An extension of asking to have a shower or use the bathroom when Daddy is around, even though Daddys just go about their daily routine as though it's their right to continue as they please, just jumping in the shower whenever the need takes them, not needing to check that baby will be watched by their other half... Anyway, I digress, but all the Mums reading this will know what I'm talking about.
Yesterday, when I called my Mummy (Grandma), in a rather emotionally vulnerable state having just left you there for the first time, her words of wisdom in response to my feeble "do you think, she'll think I've left her there, Do you think she'll hate me???"
"well I left you at nursery, and you didn't hate me, did you?"

Oh God, I can't remember I might have done??

- love Mummy x

Our last day in India....

2012-07-17T13:13:00.001+01:00

So tomorrow will be our last full day in India, as the following day we leave for home, via a little holiday in Dubai.... This will be your 15th flight and the day you turn 16 months. Our time living in India over the last few months has been eventful, emotional and at times tedious, but I hope that in years to come, even though you will no doubt, have no recollection of any of it, you will look back on it and be proud to have had so many adventures when you were so little.

You've been stared at, photographed and claimed more attention than Harper Beckham (which will no doubt hold no relevance when you read this - but at the time of writing she probably holds the title of the most famous little girl on the planet), you've learnt to walk here, to say your name, to say other peoples names, fell in love with a purple dinosaur named Barney (although you pronounce Barbey), made friends with some "piggies" named Peppa & George, found a talent for painting, discovered the joy of squishing play-doh through your toes and learnt how to "cook" imaginary pasta in a bucket at the pool...

You have literally grown from this experience.... You came to India as my baby, and although you will always be this, you are definitely going home as a little girl!

- love Mummy x

Your first job!

2012-07-04T15:57:00.001+01:00

When you were still in my tummy, just 16 weeks after conception, you did your first ever modelling job.... And here it is!!

- love Mummy x

Ocean's Gallery!

2012-07-03T10:15:00.001+01:00

- love Mummy x

Dinosaurs, Ice pops & snoring!

2012-06-29T11:54:00.001+01:00

It's been too long since I last wrote down my thoughts, you are keeping me so busy these days, and we are doing so much travel, I hardly seem to have the time. But, you are still the highlight of my each and every day, and your growing character and new tricks still make me so very proud of you.
So, what have you learnt since the last time I wrote to you, so much it would be impossible to cover it all, but here are the highlights. Your vocabulary grows each day, asking for "pop" and "apple", which are certainly your favourite foods to munch on. You give instructions, "knee, open, close, comehere" and you seem to understand absolutely everything I say.... But still answer "NO!". When something's "all gone" you ask for "bin", and even say "byebye" to the offending article. By far the cutest thing you now do, is pretend snoring when your trying to tell someone that your teddy or dolly is asleep, it's completely and utterly heart melting.
We've been to the Zoo whilst on a trip back to the UK where you were thrilled to try out all your animal noises and get similar responses as a reply.... Your favourite by far were the monkeys, which grandma and I had to tear you away from. However, just like Mummy when she was little (according to Grandma) you were completely petrified of the dinosaurs (let me just interject a NB and say the dinosaurs weren't actually real, but all other animals were) and you screamed until we left. Actually Mummy was still a little scared too!
- Remember one thing, Mummy loves you x

You are made of....

2012-05-23T05:55:00.001+01:00

Be humble for you are made of earth,
Be noble for you are made of stars!

- love Mummy x

Stranded in Dubai!

2012-05-08T19:30:00.001+01:00

So after 2 weeks in India, (where mummy had no time to blog due to you being particularly grumpy after your MMR jabs), we flew back to the UK for a week so Daddy could renew his visa. However, ironically, you and I are now having a little issue with our visas and are currently stranded in Dubai whilst the Indian consulate sorts it out! When I say stranded, it suggests a rather more unpleasant affair than we are actually facing, as lets face it, if your going to be stuck anywhere, one of the top choices would probably be Dubai! Therefore, your having super fun, playing in the pool, eating ice cubes and running up and down the corridors "chasing" Mummy, but your favourite new pastime is watching the birdies, you even flap your arms in the cutest little exaggerated way to signal that you've spotted one of your feathered friends!!

- love Mummy x

Ocean's Gallery!

2012-04-05T07:35:00.001+01:00

- love Mummy x

A day at the office with Daddy!

2012-04-04T08:33:00.001+01:00

- love Daddy from Russia x

A day at the office with Daddy!

2012-04-02T18:40:00.001+01:00

- love Daddy, en route to Moscow x

We have news!!!

2012-04-02T10:38:00.001+01:00

I always knew that the time would come once again where we would be called back to India for Daddy's work. Having lived there in 2004/05, and then Daddy frequently travels on business there since, we now need to move back a bit more permanently. I must admit I'm apprehensive, as taking you at just 1 year old fills me with trepidation, but I know what to expect, I know India. Or at least, i knew India, we're old friends. I'm hoping it's the type of old friend that you can go a few years without talking to (it's been 3, since I last visited) but pick right up where you left off.

- love Mummy x

A day at the office with Daddy!

2012-03-29T08:39:00.001+01:00

- love Daddy in Bangalore, India x

A day at the office with Daddy!

2012-03-23T07:52:00.001+00:00

- love Daddy from Bangalore, India x

A day at the office with Daddy!

2012-03-22T08:48:00.001+00:00

- love Daddy from Bangalore, India x

Ocean's Gallery!

2012-03-20T15:54:00.001+00:00

- love Mummy x

The first time you made the press!

2012-03-20T11:42:00.001+00:00

I know that you will do exceptional things with your life, and most probably this will not be the last time your name appears in the press, but it is the FIRST, and for that reason it should be remembered!!

- love Mummy x

First birthday, first shoes!

2012-03-19T22:23:00.001+00:00

Today, on your 1st birthday, Mummy and Daddy (and Grandma too actually) took you on a little shopping trip and bought you your first pair of shoes, size 3 1/2 G! You were your usual entertaining self, and had the Clarks staff coo-ing over you and your antics within minutes. Other staff members were emerging from the stock room to see the little performer with such a beautiful name. Waving, boo-ing and prancing up and down, lifting you feet adorned with pretty new shoes dramatically high even for a teetering toddler in a tutu, made you hard to resist. You then spent the rest of the afternoon, lifting your feet high in your pram to inspect the new prettiness your feet were fashioning!!

- love Mummy x

Cake smash!

2012-03-19T20:10:00.001+00:00

Today you did a "cake smash" photo shoot with a giant cupcake! It was so much fun, and you really took after Mummy and were a proper little actress in front of the camera.... Anyway, the above is the aftermath of said shoot!

- love Mummy x

366 days old!

2012-03-19T01:16:00.000+00:00

Wow!

I can't believe that my baby is one year old! It seems like only a heartbeat ago that I said "hi princess" for the very first time as you were placed in my arms. So much has happened in those 366 days, and you and I have grown and changed so much. You've taught me so much about the world and myself, and I've found peace and appreciation in the smallest things, that previously would have sped by without me noticing.

I'm not going to lie and say its been an easy road, the last month has definately been the hardest of my life, but it has been worth it, you are worth it. You've suffered with a terrible stomach virus for weeks, and at some point we've all caught it too. It's not been our best month, and most of it we've spent covered in vomit or poo, but thankfully that's all over now and we can start your 2nd year healthy and happy.

The last 366 days have been a wonderful journey, (in spite of the most recent poo covered and earlier sleep deprived bits) and I'm so excited to continue discovering the world through your eyes!

- love Mummy x

A day at the office with Daddy!

2012-03-16T08:08:00.001+00:00

- love Daddy, en route home from Dubai! X

A day at the Office with Daddy!

2012-03-14T08:47:00.001+00:00

- love Daddy from Abu Dhabi x

Cake - a revelation!!

2012-03-09T10:51:00.001+00:00

Today mummy found some dairy free chocolate muffins, and you certainly approved of your first taste of cake!!! Of course mummy had to have just a tiny sample, to check it was suitable, honest!!!

- love Mummy x

337 days old!

2012-02-19T13:19:00.001+00:00

11 months old and your becoming more and more fun each day. You've started walking now, which you are rather impressed about, but your new tricks don't end there. You love doing animal noises, lion, cow, mousey and the most recent snake!! We run through the whole list with huge rounds of applause and you now also know where your teeth and head are, and take great delight in pointing to them when asked to. Teeth is accompanied by a lovely attempt at the word - "teeefff", and head is more of a pat rather than a point, but tongue is most definately the cutest, with you sticking it out and waggling it about when asked where it is!
Your love of books continues, and you now have your favourite ones to flick through the pages of, pointing to various pictures and babbling away, as if reading to yourself.
Your 6th tooth has emerged, unfortunately accompanied with an awful cough and cold, and you've learnt to copy if anyone else coughs, in rather a dramatic fashion. Daddy says your becoming quite a good little actress - ha ha! Thankfully, you seem to think brushing your teeth is quite a fun little game, which we play most times you have your nappy changed at home, of course the game is only complete with mummy or daddy singing a rendition of "this is the way we brush our teeth!" You even say a sweet little "bye" and wave at the tiny little toothbrush when placing him back on the shelf.
You've learnt to say "Ta!", quite where from, I'm not sure, as mummy and Grandma don't really like the word and have been insistently following it up with "thankyou!" each time you utter it, but none the less, your a very polite little girl and we're all very proud.
- love Mummy x

A day at the office with Daddy!

2012-02-09T08:15:00.001+00:00

- love Daddy from Moscow, Russia x

A day at the office with Daddy!

2012-02-08T16:27:00.001+00:00

- love Daddy from Moscow, Russia x